Finland is a place with countless lakes and endless greenery, offering pilgrimage possibilities in bewildering forests and close knitted cities while the roads keep them hundreds of kilometers apart. Even so, we tend to welcome everyone to our small communities and, often surprisingly, possess rather good English skills. Therefore, do not be alarmed if someone greets you with a warm phrase “Cold day, isn’t it” as you stand in the middle of a snow storm.
Our seven faculties offer knowledge for 15,000 curious minds with 75 years of tradition. University of Jyväskylä is the leading force in research which comes to life in psychotherapeutic research clinic and other facilities devoted to academic excellence and global collaboration.
Finnish government guarantees every person the same opportunities in education for free and without prejudice ergo everyone is equal and appreciated in school system.
This university carries the second best title in Finland and shows the famous Finnish strength called “sisu.” Sisu signifies love for knowledge and will to overcome obstacles. And you don’t want to miss the active student life with parties, trips to Lapland and international clubs.
As a psychology major student, I have managed to mingle my way all the way from humanistic studies to statistics and Japanese language. However, this does not seem like a bad idea for many since the university encourages the students to broaden their field of study as well as global experience.
Studying abroad isn’t the only option for people like me since many professors travel to Jyväskylä from Portugal, Hong Kong, etc. to share their knowledge. This global atmosphere stimulates our unconsciousness to see the uniqueness of our minds as well as the similarities with cultural archetypes, as Carl Jung would declare. We can only be sure that as humans we may look different but we cannot escape the genes that give us the same smiles and the same cries.
If you feel like your mind is already warming up for the idea of Finland, be sure to visit the place where the world sleeps during winter and remains awake from the first days of spring. Lapland is maybe the most extreme place to wander but keeps its promise. With Snow like nowhere else, Northern lights and pieces of folk history are open to anyone who is not afraid of mosquitoes or reindeers. And how about experiencing some traditional shaman lifestyle and smoky saunas while you’re at it?
You simply cannot anticipate the life in Finland as it shows the different sides of humankind every day. Just bring some warm socks, a curious mind and time to explore this land of countless stories and wonders.

*Eliisa Valkonen is currently studying at Ewha as an exchange student.

저작권자 © Ewha Voice 무단전재 및 재배포 금지